Miss Lori offers 4 ways for brands to use sponsored influencers at Blogher

Blogher 2012 in New York City is almost here. If you know what Blogher is then you know the high level of excitement that is already pumping through the conference hashtag even 8 days out. That’s because Blogher is the SuperBowl of blogging conferences. Everyone wants to be there, brands and influencers alike. Especially because the event is back in New York City again, the city that never sleeps. A perfect pairing because no one really sleeps while attending Blogher. (We reserve that for the plane ride home.) No one sleeps because everyone tries to squeeze every last drop out of the experience and even then they miss a lot. Which puts a lot of pressure on brands who are looking to capture the attention of attendees to build their community and meet their campaign objectives. That is why so many brands contract with influencers sponsoring their attendance in exchange for brand promotion. But don’t worry if you haven’t established a sponsorship, it’s not too late. And judging form the volume of private branded parties and suites it would be in your brand’s best interests to think outside of the computer and get some creative influence flowing. I’m not going to leave you to come up with ideas on your own, below is a list of four ways that I myself work with brands to amplify their presence at conferences like Blogher.

1. The Power Tweeter

A twitter savvy influencer can add a lot of value to your brand at Blogher by generating authentic content that reports, inspires and educates. If you have a brand table at the expo, or a suite with guest speakers, a power tweeter can keep the conversation going by sharing in real time all of the activities that occur with and around your brand at the conference.

2. Suite Talent

There are a lot of brands on the expo floor at Blogher. It stands to reason that not every attendee is going to be able to spend quality time at every booth. What will help your booth stand out above the rest? A good hawker. Employing a dynamic, high energy, influencer who has as much magnetism in real life as they do online, is a great way to raise the hype. Think of them as a human megaphone. No they don’t have to yell, although I can say from personal experience diaphragmatic projection comes in handy. I have even been known to throw things at my audience. Don’t worry it was only AHA exercise bands. (You use what you’ve got!) Bottom line is influencers are influential because people will walk through the doors they open. Let an influencer open the door of your brand to their community.

3. On the Ground Videographer

Just because your brand can’t be physically present at Blogher doesn’t mean you can’t have a presence at Blogher. Consider contracting with a charismatic influencer to herald your brand on the ground by engaging community members with conversation directly on video. Pick a topic that runs parallel to your brand messaging and have your video savvy influencer ask attendees questions in their free time. The goal is to amass enough content to create a compilation video that can be used on your brand sites. Influencers love to link to their own likeness. (Heck don’t we all!)

4. Giveaway Ring Master

Last but not least don’t forget all of the people who aren’t going to be at Blogher. They will be following long with the action through updates and tweets using the #Bloghrer12 hashtag. They will be looking for any way possible to share in some of the conference revelry. Contracting with an influencer to emcee a Facebook conversation or a serial blogpost giveaway gives you the opportunity to showcase your product, initiate a conversation about topics important to your brand and bring fun and prizes to those who aren’t able to experience the Blogher magic firsthand.

The key is finding the right influencer that matches with your brand intentions. The later the date the more experienced an influencer you are going to want. When time is short you want to make sure you have a savvy marketer, with built in audience appeal who is capable of thinking on their feet. Yes, me. But there are others out there too. With that in mind I ask that all of the Blogher ready influencers out there, the savvy marketers who are ready and willing to take on a last minute contract heralding the interests of a brand in need of amplification, name yourselves and your strengths in a link below.